Apple managed to create a massive amount of hype with its latest press conference that was held on the 12th of this month inside the Steve Jobs Theatre at the company’s corporate headquarters in Cupertino, California. While the company announced multiple new devices at the event, the spotlight was firmly focused on a new, top-of-the-line smartphone that comes switch a radical new design that’s never been seen on a mainstream smartphone before. Called the iPhone X (pronounced “iPhone ten” and not “iPhone ex”), the device features an almost bezel-free design with an edge-to-edge OLED display, marking the first time an iPhone has been launched without the familiar circular Home button. The device has already created huge buzz among Apple fans around the world, but the sheer number of changes and new features make it a very different beast from not only earlier editions of the iPhone, but also the two other iPhones that were announced at the same event. So in case you too want further clarifications regarding some of the new features of the iPhone X, here’s our comprehensive iPhone X FAQ that should clear up all your queries about Apple’s latest and greatest:
iPhone X FAQ: General
1. What is the iPhone X?
The iPhone X is one of the three latest smartphones announced last week by Apple. It comes with a number of premium hardware components and novel software features that are not found in the two other handsets announced alongside it: the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus.
2. How Much Will the iPhone X Cost?
The iPhone X carries a price-tag of $999 for the base 64GB model in the U.S., while the 256GB version will cost $1,149. Prices are expected to be significantly higher in most other regions around the world.
3. When Will the iPhone X be Available For Purchase?
The iPhone X will go up for pre-order on October 27 in the U.S with shipping starting on November the 3rd.
4. What Colors Will it the iPhone X be Available in?
The iPhone X will come in only Space Gray and Pearl Silver, at least, initially. There’s no word on whether the popular Rose Gold option will be added at a later date.
5. Can I Buy it Factory-Unlocked, SIM-Free?
Of course you can. However, while unlocked, SIM-free versions will be available right away in countries like India, buyers in the U.S. might have wait a few weeks before they become widely available. Mind you, the prices mentioned here are the full retail prices that will also be applicable for the unlocked models that will be compatible with multiple carriers. .
6. How Many Storage Options Will the iPhone X Offer?
Just the two for now. A base 64GB version and and a premium 256GB Version. Expect all other hardware components of the two models to be absolutely identical.
iPhone X FAQ: Build and Design
1. What is the iPhone X Made out of?
The iPhone X in encased within a stainless steel chassis, and has glass panels on the front and back.
2. Why is there a Notch at the Top?
Because the iPhone X comes with a bezel-less design, the notch on the top, albeit controversial, became a necessity to house the front-facing selfie-cam, a microphone, the speaker, as well as an array of sensors, including a proximity sensor, an ambient light sensor, an IR camera, a Flood Illuminator and a Dot Projector.
3. Where is The Home Button?
The Home Button on the iPhone X has gone the way of the Dodo, and with it, the integrated Touch ID is gone too. The Home Button and the Touch ID are still very much present in the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, but in the iPhone X, they have been replaced by a new feature called ‘Face ID’, which is Apple-speak for a 3D facial scanning technology that’s being debuted with this device. You’ll find more info about Face ID in our dedicated ‘Face ID FAQ’ section later in the article. We’ll also tell you how to navigate to the Home Screen without the Home Button in our ‘Software FAQ’ section.
4. Is the iPhone X Waterproof?
No, the iPhone X is not technically waterproof, however, it is water resistant. It comes with an IP67 certification, which means it can remain submerged for up to 30 minutes in 1 meter of fresh water without any damage.
iPhone X FAQ: Hardware
1. What Are the Tech Specs of the iPhone X?
The iPhone X is by far the fastest, most feature-rich iPhone in history. Sure, many of earlier iPhone features like Touch ID are deprecated in the new device, but the additional features more than make up for that. Here are some of the key tech specs of the iPhone X:
| Display | 5.8-inch OLED Super Retina HD True Tone Display (2436 x 1125 resolution) with 3D Touch, HDR10 and Dolby Vision support |
| Processor | A11 Bionic chip (64-bit ARM SoC) with AI accelerator ("Neural Engine"), hexa-core CPU with 4x low-power ‘Mistral’ cores and 2x high-power ‘Monsoon’ cores. Embedded M11 motion co-processor, tri-core GPU. |
| RAM | 3GB |
| Storage | 64GB and 256GB |
| Rear Camera Setup | Dual 12MP cameras, 1x wide-angle lens with f/1.8 aperture and 1x telephoto with f/2.4 aperture, 2x optical zoom, OIS on both. |
| Front Camera | Single 7MP TrueDepth. |
| Battery | Capacity not specified. |
| Waterproof and dust-resistant | IP67-certified |
| Sensors | Face ID, 3-axis Gyro, Accelerometer, Proximity sensor, Ambient light sensor, Barometer |
| Connectivity | LTE-A, nano SIM slot, GPS, Wi-Fi b/g/n/ac with MIMO, Bluetooth 5, VoLTE, Wi-Fi Calling, Lightning |
| Colors | Silver and Space Gray |
| Dimensions | 143.6 x 79.9 x 7.7 mm |
| Weight | 174g |
2. What’s New About the iPhone X Display?
The 5.8-inch OLED display on the iPhone X marks the first time the company is moving away from LCD panels and embracing the emerging OLED technology. It also features a higher resolution than any other iPhone ever, and supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision. The OLED display also has better contrast ratio, higher peak brightness, and saturation compared to the LCD panels used by Apple on the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.
3. So the iPhone X Really Doesn’t Have the Touch ID?
No it doesn’t. The fingerprint scanner has been replaced by a facial scanning technology called Face ID, which replaces Touch ID for good.
iPhone X FAQ: Face ID
1. What is Face ID?
Face ID is Apple-speak for the company’s propitiatory 3D facial scanning technology that can be found on the iPhone X. The biometric mechanism uses the front-facing camera, an infrared camera, a flood illuminator, and a dot projector to scan faces to unlock the phone or authorize payments via Apple Pay.
2. Will Face ID Work in the Dark?
Apple says it will. The company is using a ‘flood illuminator’ to enable face scanning even in complete darkness.
3. Is Face ID Safe? Where’s Apple Storing Our Facial Data?
Apple says that it doesn’t transmit any data related to facial scanning back to its servers. The company claims to store all your Face ID data locally on the device, so as long there’s no change in policy, you can rest assured that your Face ID data is safe with you.
4. Can You Use Photographs to Unlock the iPhone X with Face ID?
No, you cannot. According to Apple, Face ID uses a 3D model of the face rather than a 2D one, which means you need to have an actual face rather than a photograph to unlock the phone.
5. Can Somebody Unlock Your Phone by Scanning Your Face When You’re Sleeping?
No you cannot. Your eyes have to be opened for Face ID to work. It’s much easier for an unauthorized person to unlock your phone with Touch ID than with Face ID while you’re sleeping.
6. If Face ID Malfunctions, Will I Get Locked Out of my Phone?
No, you won’t. If Face ID fails for some reason, you will be prompted to enter your six-digit password to unlock your iPhone X.
7. Will Face ID Work with Glasses, Beards, or Other Such Changes?
Not only will Face ID work with prescription glasses, Apple has also said that the technology will even work with most sunglasses available on the market today. However, sunglasses that have IR-blocking coatings to protect your eyes, will not be compatible with Face ID. As for beard, hair and facial tattoos, Face ID will continue to work irrespective. You can start growing a beard or shave off your old one, and neither will create any issues whatsoever with Face ID.
8. Is Face ID Automatically Disabled in Some Cases?
Yes it is. Face ID on the iPhone X will disable itself in the following cases:
- If you reboot the phone
- If you haven’t unlocked the phone in over 48 hours with Face ID
- If there are two failed attempts to unlock using Face ID
- If you haven’t unlocked the phone with a password in six days and twelve hours.
- If Face ID hasn’t been used in 4 hours
9. Can You Disable Face ID Manually?
Yes, you can. You need to press the volume button and the power button simultaneously to disable Face ID manually. It will stay disabled until you enter your password or PIN again. You can also disable the feature completely in your iPhone X.
iPhone X FAQ: Software
1. What iOS Version will the iPhone X Ship with?
iPhone X will ship with iOS 11 out-of-the-box.
2. Will the iPhone X Get Updated to iOS 12?
While Apple hasn’t said anything specifically in this regard, going by Apple’s record, it can be inferred that the device will not only get updated to iOS 12 next year, but will probably even receive iOS 13 a couple years down the line.
3. How Will I Navigate To The Home Screen Without the Home Button?
The iPhone X lets you navigate the interface via various gestures. You can just swipe up from the bottom to go to the home screen from any app.
4. Will Apple Pay Work Without Touch ID?
Yes, it will. As mentioned earlier already, Face ID will replace Touch ID as Apple Pay’s biometric authentication technology of choice.
5. How will I Activate Siri without the Home Button?
Even though the Home Button is absent on the iPhone X, you can always use the incredibly convenient ‘Hey Siri’ command to fire up Apple’s AI-based voice assistant. As for a hardware alternative to the Home Button, you can always hold down the enlarged power button on the side for a couple seconds. To exit Siri, just get back to the Home Screen by swiping up from the bottom.
6. How Can You the Multi-tasking Feature on the iPhone X?
Apple has reportedly confirmed that the company will roll out an update to bring back the 3D Touch gesture to open the multi-tasking screen, but till such time, you can swipe up from the on-screen Home Bar on the bottom of your screen like you would, if you wanted to go to the home screen, but instead, just pause midway for a second without lifting your finger. That would bring up all your open apps, and you can then swipe left or right to scroll between them just like you would on older iPhones.
7 How Will I Switch off my iPhone X?
Powering down your iPhone X, unfortunately, is an incredibly non-intuitive exercise. To switch it off, you’ll need to open up Settings > General > Shut Down. That will bring up the ” slide to power off” option that you can use to switch off your device. To switch it back on, just press and hold the side button for a couple of seconds.
8. Does the iPhone X Have a File Manager?
Yes, iPhone X does come with the all-new ‘Files’ app that is installed as the default file manager application on iOS 11 replacing iCloud Drive.
iPhone X FAQ: Camera
1. What’s New About the iPhone X Cameras?
The iPhone X comes with a dual rear-camera setup at the back. Both have 12MP image sensors, but while one has a wide-angle lens with an f/1.8 aperture, the other one comes with a telephoto lens with an f/2.4 aperture. The iPhone X also sports dual image sensors on the front. While the primary one comes with a 7MP sensor, there’s also an IR camera that aids in the Face ID.
2. Does the iPhone X Have OIS?
Yes, both rear sensors come with OIS.
3. Does it Have Laser Autofocus or PDAF?
There’s no Laser Auto-focus on the iPhone X, but PDAF (phase detection auto-focus) is there.
4. Does the iPhone X Shoot 4K Videos?
The iPhone X records 4K videos at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps.
5. Does the iPhone X Shoot Slo-Mo Videos?
Yup. You can shoot 1080p slow-motion videos at either 120 fps or 240 fps.
6. What is the Portrait Lightning Feature in the iPhone X?
The Portrait Lighting Mode lets you add professional lighting looks to your photos. There are five different modes available as of now, and all the effects can be added either before a photo is clicked or after.
7. Is the Portarit Mode Available for the Front-Facing Camera on the iPhone X?
Yes it is. The iPhone X uses a ‘TrueDepth’ camera on the front for FaceID, and using that simultaneously with the primary selfie-cam, Apple is able to bring the Portrait Lighting mode to your selfies.
iPhone X FAQ: Charging and Battery
1. How Large is the Battery on the iPhone X?
Apple is Yet to Specify the exact capacity of the iPhone X battery, but some media reports seem to indicate that it will be around a 2,700mAh unit.
2. Is There Fast Charging Support in the iPhone X?
The iPhone X does come with support for fast charging, but since Apple is not bundling a fast-charger with the device, you’ll have to buy one separately either from Apple or from a third-party if you want to make use of this feature.
3. Does the iPhone X Support Wireless Charging?
Yes, it supports the Qi wireless charging standard.
4. Is Wireless Charging Faster or Slower Than Wired Charging?
In its early days, wireless charging was significantly slower than regular charging, and although the difference has reduced a bit over the years, you can still expect wireless charging to be somewhat slower.
5. Will I Need Separate Hardware for Wireless Charging?
Unfortunately, yes. You’ll need to buy a wireless charging pad to be able to to wirelessly charge you iPhone X. We have curated a list of cool iPhone X accessories, including a few wireless charging mats, so may be you should take a look at that if you’re thinking of jumping on to the iPhone X bandwagon.
iPhone X FAQ: Connectivity
1. Will the iPhone X Support LTE-A Carrier Aggregation in the U.S.?
Yes, it most definitely will. However, the device will not support the 600Mhz LTE network (Band 71), nor will it support Gigabit LTE, so if you’re looking forward to Verizon’s LTE-U, Sprint’s HPDE or AT&T’s LAA network, you’re out of luck.
2. Will the iPhone X be Compatible With Reliance Jio’s VoLTE services in India?
Yes, it will be. Jio’s LTE network is based on three different frequency bands – 1800MHz (FDD-LTE), 850MHz (FDD-LTE) and 2300MHz(TDD-LTE), all of which are supported by the iPhone X. Jio has already announced attractive schemes starting at INR 799 per month for Phone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus buyers, expect more new plans when the iPhone X is finally launched.
3. Is the iPhone X Dual-SIM compatible?
No. Apple has never released dual-SIM models of any of its previous iPhones, and things are unfortunately likely to stay that way in the foreseeable future.
4. Is There a microSD Card Slot in the iPhone X?
Again, the answer will have to be no. Apple has unfortunately never bothered with microSD cards, and that hasn’t changed with the latest iPhones.
5. Has Apple Brought Back the 3.5mm Jack?
Apple got rid of the 3.5mm AUX port on its iPhone 7, so it’s probably a bit unfair to expect them to have a change of heart within a year and bring it back. So no, you won’t find the 3.5mm audio port on any of Apple’s latest phones, including the iPhone X.
6. Does the iPhone X Support Lightning Connectors or USB-C?
The iPhone X comes with a Lightning port, but you can use a Lightning to USB-C cable to charge your iPhone X at up to 29 watts, but only if the cable supports the USB-PD 29 watt standard.
7. Is There USB-OTG Support?
The iPhone X doesn’t even come with a standard USB port, so there’s obviously no question for USB-OTG support, but you can use devices like SanDisk’s iXpand flash drives to increase your iPhone X’s storage capabilities significantly.
8. Does iPhone X Support Bluetooth 5.0?
Yes, the iPhone X supports Bluetooth 5.0 as well as BLE 5.0 (Bluetooth Low Energy 5.0).
9. Can We Sync the iPhone X with Android Phones using Bluetooth?
No, Bluetooth 5 or not, Apple still puts arbitrary restrictions on Bluetooth usage, so you still can’t use it to transfer data to or from any Android device.
SEE ALSO: 16 Best iPhone X Accessories You Can Buy
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Apple iPhone X
The iPhone X may not be perfect, but the general consensus seems to be that it is the best smartphone Apple has ever made. Having said that, it comes with many radical changes not only in terms of design, but also in terms of of its user interface. That being the case, we hope our comprehensive FAQ has helped you get a bit more insight into the new device. So what do you think about the iPhone X? Are you planning to get one when it launches, or do you think it’s overpriced? Whatever your thoughts are, do let us know, because we love hearing from you.
